Cottage Witchery

Cottage Witchery

Sharing a meal with friends or those you love is a ritual in itself, there is a certain energy associated with this simple pleasure, and with the magic of food our life is sustained.

The oven is one of your magic tools, as alchemy takes place whenever you put something into the oven and it is transformed. Old magic paid attention to the lore of food and the energies that are contained in the food we eat every day. It is important to make your time in the kitchen, preparing dishes for yourself and your loved ones, a pleasurable time, your energies are integrated with the energies naturally contained in food. Every time you prepare a meal you have the opportunity to create positive changes in your life, each meal can be a magic ritual with love, health, happiness, and protection within the foods you eat on a daily basis. Once you become familiar with the energies contained in food, preparing and cooking a meal will take on an entirely new meaning, you can add power and vibrance to your life. Each meal can be a celebration of magic.

Hundreds of years ago food was worshiped and seen as a gift from the gods, the energies contained within the food we eat are vital to our survival. You will find food all the more enjoyable as you approach it from a magical perspective, and every meal can be a wonderful act of alchemy that magically changes the food you prepare into a beautiful meal for you and yours to enjoy and energised by. When eating be conscious of the higher power existing in the foods, this way each meal can be a celebration, and cooking will take on an entirely new tone. All you need to do is to follow a few simple steps, before cooking be conscious of what changes you want in your life, you them choose the foods containing the energies that are compatible with your thoughts and this is the beginning of your magic.

The ancient Egyptians used food as a means of exchange and food was stocked in the tombs as a gift to the gods. Barley was used for rituals associated with marriage and fertility, it was also served at funerals. Barley actually ignites the financial energies and is an especially good magical food to use if you are having money troubles, it also relates to the sexual potency of the male. The Japanese like to eat buckwheat noodles for financial luck in the New Year, by eating buckwheat pancakes you are attracting the energy of money, while you are preparing and eating make sure that your intention is clear and your vision vivid and powerful.

Corn has been used by various tribes over the centuries and used in rituals, it is a symbol of fertility, life, eternity and resurrection. Corn was also used for divination purposes, it was practiced by the ancient Aztecs, it was often used in elaborate healing ceremonies. Corn is still considered sacred by many tribes and is treated with great reverence, it is thought to bring blessing and heightened spiritual enlightenment. In around 1000 BC lentils were used for trading. The Germans believed that by eating millet on the first day of the year, it would bring them good luck and prosperity throughout the year. In ancient times rice was use by the Japanese as a form of payment for work done, or to buy items, it was also used to keep away evil spirits. If a child had trouble sleeping, a bowl of rice was placed next to the bed as a way to ward off the spirits that were thought to be disturbing the child. When eating a rice cake visualise money and protection, it is also thought to be useful for fertility. Rye is thought to contain the power to help a person give and receive love and caraway seeds enhance this energy. The ancients Greeks placed crowns of wheat on the heads of brides and grooms as a symbol of fertility. Garlic bread is a powerful protection food and is enjoyed in many cultures.

The Babylonians baked and served cakes for the goddess Ishtar and they were served during fertility festivals. The Greek goddess Artemis was honored each month by the baking of round cakes upon which candles were placed. Moon cakes are baked in China in honour of the autumn moon festival. Gypsies used the power of cakes in their rituals to cure ailments of all types, and we all know the symbolism of cakes at Christmas, birthdays and Easter.

When you next bake cookies you can cut them into specific shapes to represent your magical intention, cookies can be used as a powerful magical tool, as you begin mixing the flour have an intention in your mind and visualise as vividly as you can the intention. After cooking your cookies, as you eat and enjoy them keep the vision in your minds eye.

If you want your coffers to fill you can’t go past buckwheat pancakes served with maple syrup, both contain the energies to attract money. Make a normal pancake if you want your psychic energies to heighten, as you prepare, cook and eat your pancake think about psychic awareness and becoming more powerful.

All magic starts with an intention and the way magic works is that through certain steps you are able to manifest your intention. Try to always prepare and cook foods that you enjoy, as you are preparing food not only is it necessary to cook with intention, it is also necessary to visualise what magical outcome that you are working towards, by doing this you are igniting the energies within the food and within yourself. As you eat your magic food be fully present and make sure you are thinking about that which you wish to conjure, make sure you are visualising your ultimate magic outcome. Intention and visualisation is very important with all magic craft. Imagine the energy of the food not only sustaining you, but with enchantment bringing about the magical changes that you want, be at one with the food you eat and the magic you are creating.

Bread was considered a sacred food by the Egyptians and it was offered to the deities and stocked in tombs along with other foods. Eating was a part of many Pagan religions, rituals using barley were performed in healing ceremonies, barley can also be used for prosperity spells. Corn is used for spiritual rituals and was used as a divination tool in Mexico, corn is also related to the four directions, north, south, east and west. Corn was often placed on altars as a gift to the gods. Oats are prepared and eaten while visualising prosperity, think of prosperity and abundance while preparing a meal of oats and visualise prosperity and abundance while eating oats. Rice is linked with love and good fortune, the Japanese used to eat red rice for good luck, it was also scattered to keep away evil spirits. Rice has been used as a magic potion for centuries. Wheat is a symbol of the goddess energy and is used for prosperity and for protection. Cakes and sweet pies are associated with love and are also used in religious ceremonies throughout the world, the wedding cake is a symbol of love and an important part of a marriage ceremony. Hot cross buns are baked at Easter time and are a representation of the sun’s yang energy that makes things grow, eaten on Easter Friday they are thought to bring good luck.

Pies are a symbol of spirituality, and apple pie is associated with love and peace, blackberry pie with money, blueberry for protection, custard for spirituality, cherry for love, lemon for love, mince for luck and money, peach for happiness and wisdom, pumpkin for healing, rhubarb for protection and love, strawberry for love. When baking these pies visualise the properties that they are imbued with.

Pancakes are thought of as lucky food and they are aligned with money and luck, if you are short of cash make up a batch of pancakes, and while you are preparing and eating them think of prosperity and abundance, imagine your money woes being taken care of, also there is a sense of wellbeing when eating a sweet pancake.

When using food for magic work always have the reason for cooking certain foods, such as cooking for love, cooking for prosperity, for health or for protection. As you handle and prepare the food have a particular goal in mind, when stirring food always stir clockwise with two stirs anti-clockwise as you finish stirring. I like to think of the art of cooking as alchemy, as you begin with basic ingredients which are then turned into something delicious, always visualise your main goal as you are preparing and cooking your magical food.

Before you start cooking decide what magic you wish to conjure, for instance you may wish to have more energy, if this is the case then energy is what you think about whilst preparing your food, if your goal is protection, then this is what you think about when preparing your food. Your intention must always be clear before you begin your kitchen magic, whether it is luck, prosperity, or love you wish to draw to you. When deciding on food for your chosen magic, be sure to choose food with their specific magical properties in mind, then as you are preparing, cooking and eating the food, you are thinking about the particular properties associated with that food. Always take your time when preparing and cooking your magical meal, it is important to approach spellcasting in a relaxed manner and with a sure intention. The ancient Greeks ate beetroot to prolong life and to maintain health and beauty. An old superstition says that if a man and woman eat from the same beet, they will instantly fall in love, eat beetroot while thinking about love and partnership. Another superstition is the placing of cabbage leaves on the forehead on Friday the 13th to keep evil spirits away, in around 800 BC the death penalty was given to those who dared to steal cabbages, it was also thought that the humble cabbage could heal insanity. Cabbage has more power if served by the light of the full moon, the cabbage is also known to draw money to you, while some thought that it would help those who had disturbed sleep patterns.

Those who practice folk magic believe that all types of greens represent money, and greens are also linked with fairies, the little people used greens often in their magical practices. Make leak soup to add extra oomph to your magical protection chants, they are also thought to increase physical strength, leeks were eaten by soldiers before they went into battle.

If you add fresh dill weed to lettuce it is thought to attract money and mushrooms are said to heighten psychic awareness. Olives are used as an antidote for stress and are thought to heighten sexual desire. Onions can be eaten for virility, add ginger and cinnamon to them to increase sexual desire.

If you want to keep away evil spirits, chop an onion in half and place it on your window ledge, onions can also be eaten for protection, and you can combine them with other foods containing protective energies for more power. Mix potato and onion, parsley and chives for profound protection, for even greater effect cook and eat during the full moon.

Pumpkin cooked and pumpkin seeds are a fantastic money attractant and for extra oomph you can add cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Radishes can be eaten for protection, rhubarb is used for medicinal purposes, it also tastes delicious with hot custard, eat rhubarb and custard as a wonderful love potion. Seaweed is a protective food for evil spirits, it is also an exceptional health food and is a great addition to a healthy diet.

In Japan soybeans are scattered within homes for good fortune and soy is very good for protection. Tofu is eaten for psychic awareness and heightens spirituality.

To add more prosperity power to your spinach meal add sesame seeds and nutmeg, eat while visualising your money pile growing. Use alfalfa for psychic awareness, use beans for protection, mung bean for spirituality, soy for psychic awareness and protection and sunflower seeds for protection. Squash is fantastic for psychic awareness and spiritual enlightenment, it is the perfect food to eat before any magical practices.

Many women who believe in the ancient superstitions eat sunflower seeds for fertility, the seeds are also used for protection, combine with other same energy foods to add more power. If you want to excite sexual desire cook and eat sweet potato it also enhances your ability to give and to receive love.

If you mix dill, basil and cinnamon to tomatoes, you will create a very potent food to attract money, black pepper, bay leaves and rosemary enhance the protective energies in tomatoes.

Truffles are eaten to increase sexual desire, eat a meal with truffles and follow with strawberries for the perfect love dish. Use watercress to strengthen the conscious mind, the Greeks ate watercress to help keep the mind active, watercress is also eaten to promote fertility.

Apples are linked with spirituality and are also used for their protective powers, they are said to increase longevity and enhance physical strength, health and wellbeing. Add cinnamon, ginger and sugar to the humble apple before baking, to add to the love properties contained within. It is also considered auspicious to carve a heart shape into an apple before it is eaten raw. Apricots are imbued with the energy of love and can be cooked, turned into jam, or eaten raw, they are also considered an aphrodisiac. Eat avocado for inner and outer beauty, they are also considered a food of love. Bananas stimulate spirituality, they can be eaten raw or baked in a banana pie, a banana is eaten to enhance the feeling of love.

If you want to increase your sexual desire, eat blackberries raw or baked, while visualising loving moments with a desired one. Eat blueberries for protection and for powerful protection combine with rice. For loving moments prepare, cook and eat cherry pie while focusing on the feeling of beautiful love and loving moments.

Citrus was used to celebrate the wedding of Zeus and Hera the mythological god and goddess, it was thought to keep the bonds of marriage strong and also to enhance physical strength. Pomegranates are the food of love, they are also related to abundance and fertility, it is also considered to be the fruit of luck. Eat fresh raspberries and raspberry jam, or raspberry pie for happiness, protection and love.

For love potions you cannot go past Strawberries and strawberry ice cream, mix together strawberries, raspberries and ice cream and add some chocolate for a powerful love potion.

For protection you can use tangerines and if you want to enhance the power of protection combine it with another protection food. A tangerine in the kitchen is thought to protect the household from evil spirits.

The ancient Egyptians used the juice of the watermelon for health it was also used in a ritual to help the spirit move from one life to the next.

There was a time when spices were more costly than gold, in fact spices were so expensive in Europe they were too expensive to use in cookery. Today we have an abundance of delicious herbs and spices to use in all manner of ways. Early medicine was a mixture of plants and herbs and I still have fond memories of my grandmother slapping on a bread poltice whenever I injured myself, which was unfortunately often.

To attract love cook coriander, dill and basil with peas, when you eat visualise love and attraction, allow yourself to absorb the feeling.

When you begin your magic culinary acts make sure you use the appropriate herbs and spices with the correct properties, such foods with the energy of love for your love magic, foods with the energy of protection for your protection spells and foods with the energy of money for your money spells.